Activism and BDS Beat 26 April 2011
Recent divestment campaigns across Canadian university campuses — specifically at Carleton and several universities in Toronto — have gained ground after strategic initiatives were launched and as more students, faculty and staff sign on to petitions of support.
Earlier this month, the Students Against Israeli Apartheid (SAIA) group at Carleton University sent out a press release stating that their divestment campaign is “one step closer” to success following a protest and rally outside the Board of Governors’ meeting in late March. Included in the press release below is a video of their action outside the meeting. This press release can be viewed here.
9 April, 2011
After building support from 25 student clubs, academic workers’ unions, and university service centres, and receiving signatures from over 2000 students, Students Against Israeli Apartheid (SAIA) and hundreds of allies asserted their right to be heard by the Carleton University Board of Governors (BoG).
Despite extreme measures taken by the university’s administration to prevent divestment-supporters from attending a March 29 BoG meeting, which is normally open to the public, a clear message was sent: we don’t want our tuition dollars invested in war crimes! After exhausting every bureaucratic avenue to have SAIA’s divestment campaign put on the BoG’s agenda, students, faculty, and staff protested this attempt at silencing through chants, dance, and peaceful resistance.
The BoG meeting was cancelled after several members could not make it through the crowd of highly mobilized and energetic protesters. A short video documentary of the rally can be viewed here: Carleton Board of Governors Shutdown - 29 March 2011
To view SAIA’s full statement on the BoG rally: http://carleton.saia.ca/pension-divestment-campaign/86.html
